Surrounded by a universe of light and sound, OMEGA has celebrated the 60th anniversary of its iconic Speedmaster watch with a star-filled event in London. George Clooney and Buzz Aldrin were the guests of honour at the “Lost in Space” evening, a theme which paid tribute to the Speedmaster’s unrivalled legacy in space exploration.
The night was hosted by Professor Brian Cox at London’s Tate Modern which was transformed to give guests a truly sensory experience. Inside, the venue was given a sleek and futuristic touch with a centrepiece of 60 important Speedmaster models from 1957 to 2017.
The OMEGA Speedmaster has enjoyed a long and varied history. The original model was the first watch in the world with its tachymeter scale on the bezel. Since then, the design has lasted the test of time, and it has been worn by astronauts, Air Force pilots, explorers, athletes and actors, as well as a growing community of fans from all around the world. Most famously, as part of Apollo 11 in 1969, Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface and, in that moment, the OMEGA Speedmaster became the first watch ever worn on the moon.
48 years later, Buzz appeared spectacularly in a spacesuit on OMEGA’s stage. After a great applause, he later recounted his memories of his time in space.
Standing alongside Buzz was the renowned actor George Clooney, who is not only a dedicated Speedmaster follower, but also a lifelong fan of space exploration. Since childhood, the Apollo missions and the OMEGA Speedmaster have been amongst his most treasured memories.
“Speedmasters were a big part of my growing up. My uncle and my father, we all had them because it was such a big part of the moon landing. And it was huge in our lives. My father gave me, as my graduation present, a Speedmaster. There’s every reason to love them because they’re elegant watches. But I also love them because of the history.”
